[Menvi-discuss] Addaptations for Blind Music Theory Teachers

[Gillespie, Jeffrey]

Rachel:

Most schools will have Finale and Sibelius both, and students will be fluent most likely in Finale.  Some schools may require one or the other and be specific about it.

I'm curious about one thing.  Since you are graduating in a month from Peabody with a degree in music theory pedagogy, why haven't your theory pedagogy teachers at Peabody already been working with you on this issue throughout your time there?  (I am a sighted music theorist, and my area of specialty is theory pedagogy.)  I don't think it's fair for a school to send you off with a degree and expect you to figure out how you will manage teaching.  That's the whole point of a theory pedagogy degree in the first place... to help you learn how to teach.

your question is a tough one!  I'll try and do some thinking on it myself and get back to you again.

Jeff Gillespie
Butler University
________________________________
From: Menvi-discuss [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] on behalf of Rachel Grider [rachel.grider at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2013 11:07 AM
To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
Subject: [Menvi-discuss] Addaptations for Blind Music Theory Teachers

Hello, Everyone:

I am a new subscriber to this list, so I thought I would introduce myself. My name is Rachel Grider, and I am going to graduate from Peabody Conservatory
in a month with two MM degrees in voice and music theory pedagogy. I am currently writing my thesis on adaptations for the blind theory teacher, a subject
which does not seem to have been explored much. Once this is published, I am hoping that it will open up many doors for me and other blind musicians who
are wanting to make a career in theory.

There are a few topics about which I would very much like some feedback. I welcome any ideas or suggestions you might have.

 First, I would like some ideas about how the blind teacher can check students' in-class work. For example, if the students are practicing counterpoint
exercises and the teacher should go around and check their work, what is the best way for the blind teacher to do this? Is it even possible to do it this
way?

Second, I would very much like ideas on teaching more advanced analysis to sighted students. I have been toying with ideas, but I have not yet actually
taught this part of theory, and I'm not sure if they would work. How can students show the blind teacher that they know how to analyze a score? They could,
of course, mark their answers on Sibelius, but can I require them to get Sibelius? Meeting with them one-on-one could be an option, but what if the class
is very large and there just isn't enough time? I also thought of making a spreadsheet in XL with pictures of each measure in a box, and there would be
spaces for the different aspects of analysis which they would fill in. Does this sound like a reasonable idea?

My third question has to do with teaching beginning students how to write music symbols and place them correctly on the staff. I could, of course, use felt
or magnetic cut-outs for this, but I was wondering if anyone else had suggestions?

Lastly, I would like to hear your philosophies about how much residual vision should be used in the classroom, both for the blind teacher and for the blind
student.I try not to use any, but I'm wondering if it might be practical for some teachers to use some vision to perform certain tasks, such as demonstrating
how to write notes and clefs.  Thoughts?

Thank you so much for your help!

Cheers,

Rachel Grider
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